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James Franco Apologizes for Mocking Oscar Writer Bruce Vilanch

James Franco has apologised to longtime Oscar writer Bruce Vilanch after mocking him on Twitter.

Vilanch recently suggested that the 127 Hours star’s commitments to Yale University has hampered his performance while co-hosting the Academy Awards.

He told NY Magazine’s Vulture Blog, “I have to call James Franco and tell him the show’s over … He took a nap and woke up in class,” he said.

“He has so many balls in the air, he didn’t get to town till Thursday before the show on Sunday.

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“And so we e-mailed a lot. But we had a lot of meetings. He had a bunch of people who were writing for him, and if it had been him alone, it would have been different.

“But it was him and Anne Hathaway, and they both had to be serviced. So there was a lot of communication beforehand. But he didn’t get there.”

He continued: “I don’t think he realised how big a deal it is to do it until he was actually confronted with it. I think he thought he would kind of … I don’t know what he thought.

“I thought maybe it was a performance-art prank, and then I realized he sincerely wanted to do it. But it’s outside of those guys’ comfort zones.”

An irked Franco then took to his Twitter page to blast Vilanch, saying, “Bruce he let me down.”

He also posted a picture of himself and Vilanch, scribbling in pink over the writer’s face: “James Franco f****d up the Oscars. Trust me, I know comedy. C’mon, I write for Bette Midler.”

Franco later removed the tweet.

Vilanch then sent Franco a letter, saying he had tried to “defend” the actor in the interview, and not “diss” him.

He wrote: “i was JOKING with this guy on the red carpet about all the sleeping jokes about you. he then got vehement about how bad you were and i was trying to DEFEND you. i don’t know what version, what context you read these remarks in, but believe me, i would never diss you. that’s not my style.”